In the News – Wed May 6
Sinister blasphemy law would play into the hands of religious nut cases (opinion piece by Stephen King in the Irish Examiner) A blasphemy clause that does not fit the Bill (opinion piece by Newton Emerson in the Irish Times) Pakistan lawyer threatens to kill Christian charged with blasphemy (news item ...
What if a Religion Deserves to be Disliked Intensely?
Publishing or saying this could be illegal in Ireland if the new blasphemy law is passed: "But what is wrong with inciting intense dislike of a religion, if the activities or teachings of that religion are so outrageous, irrational or abusive of human rights that they deserve to be disliked ...
George Bernard Shaw – Immorality Needs Protection
In 1909, George Bernard Shaw had a play (The Shewing-Up of Blanco Posnet ) banned for blasphemy. In a masterstroke of unwitting satire, the parliamentary committee examining the matter also suppressed the statement that Shaw gave them in his defence. Shaw said he deliberately wrote immoral and heretical plays, in ...
Monty Python – Every Sperm is Sacred
Publishing or performing this could be illegal in Ireland if the new blasphemy law is passed.
In the News – Tuesday May 5
Absurdity of blasphemy law revived by Ahern (opinion piece by Fintan O'Toole in the Irish Times)
Blasphemy Laws Protect Bigots, Not Religions
"A hundred years ago this month, Bernard Shaw’s little play The Shewing-up of Blanco Posnet was refused a licence for performance by the English censors... How brilliant of Dermot Ahern to mark this important event in Irish intellectual life by reminding us of the absurdity of blasphemy laws. Does he really ...
In the News – Monday May 4
No place for blasphemy law (editorial in the Irish Times)
An Insane God who Requires Blood and Misery
Publishing or saying this could be illegal in Ireland if the new blasphemy law is passed: "But you notice that when the Lord God of Heaven and Earth, adored Father of Man, goes to war, there is no limit. He is totally without mercy -- he, who is called the ...
In the News – Sunday May 3
Atheist Ireland fights to keep God out of Irish law (news item by Henry McDonald in the Observer) Dermot Ahern is a Catholic fundamentalist (opinion piece by Diarmuid Doyle in the Sunday Tribune) New libel law is a threat to free speech (opinion piece in the Sunday Times)
Is Islam a Separate Religion At All?
Publishing or saying this could be illegal in Ireland if the new blasphemy law is passed: "There is some question as to whether Islam is a separate religion at all... Islam when examined is not much more than a rather obvious and ill-arranged set of plagiarisms, helping itself from earlier ...